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Pistons Standout Gets Revenge for Cade Cunningham on Jayson Tatum

Ausar Thompson got revenge for Cade Cunningham against the Celtics.
Justin Grasso|
Feb 26, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots on Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Feb 26, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots on Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Cade Cunningham ended up on the wrong side of a highlight-worthy crossover on Wednesday night. Later in the game, Cunningham’s teammate, Ausar Thompson, got revenge on the superstar forward.

During the first half, the Detroit Pistons managed to get double-digit separation from the Celtics as they started off hot. It didn’t take long for Tatum and his Boston Celtics to catch fire themselves.

One of Tatum’s successful three-pointers came off of the play where he made Cunningham stumble to give the multi-time All-Star forward more than enough space to comfortably launch a three-point shot.

via @SportsCenter: JAYSON TATUM HAD CADE CUNNINGHAM STUMBLING 😮

Tatum finished the first half with 6-8 shooting from the field and knocked down all but one of his four shots from three. The Celtics star had 15 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 17 minutes of action.

Cunningham might’ve been on the wrong end of the crossover, but he certainly played a part in keeping the Pistons fighting through a comeback attempt from Boston. In 18 minutes, Cunningham produced 10 points, five assists, and two rebounds during the first half. The game was tied at 55.

During the third quarter, second-year Detroit standout Ausar Thompson added a lot of juice to the Pistons’ late-game run when he crossed over Tatum.

via @TheHoopCentral: AUSAR THOMPSON HAD JAYSON TATUM LOST. 🔥🔥

Thompson’s highlight crossover didn’t end with the strongest finish compared to Tatum, but it was enough to get the Little Caesars Arena crowd energized as the Pistons started pulling away from the Celtics before entering the fourth quarter.

After outscoring Boston 35-24, the Pistons went into the fourth quarter with a 90-79 lead. Thompson had seven points, six rebounds, two assists, and five steals in 25 minutes of action.

Cunningham hasn’t been having his strongest shooting night, making seven of his 18 shots from the field for 17 points, but he’s on pace for another double-double as he has nine assists going into the final quarter of action.

With a win on Wednesday, the Pistons would advance to 33-26. They would tie the Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA’s longest active win streak at eight in a row.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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